Well folks, it’s time for more gluten-free product reviews and I’m going to kick off the day with a gluten-free product called Cool Soup. This product comes in an 8oz. plastic bottle – and to be honest, I was slightly frightened when I twisted the top off and smelled this ‘stuff.’

First: The Smell...The ‘Creamy Mango Spice’ flavor sounded interesting, but when I first popped the top and took a whiff, it resembled anything but the former and –to be honest – I really couldn’t place the ‘stench’ that came out of the container. It smelled very artificial, but after reviewing the ingredient list (mango, peaches, coconut cream and red pepper, etc) I observed that there was nothing artificial to be found. I guess the smell must just be due to the rather odd mix of fruits / vegetables.

Next: the Eating/Drinking Experience...So, we’ve covered the fact that it smelled weird upon opening, but what does this stuff look/taste like and what kind of nutrients are packed in there. Well, here we go (grabbing barf bag). Well, I’m gonna keep this one short folks because this product – in my own opinion – is pretty bad.

The color, which was the only thing I could find that I liked about this product, was a dark yellow/orange combination. The consistency of this gruel was very thin and the flavor reminded me of – well, something awful, not to mention the aftertaste was just horrendous. Speaking of aftertaste, it’s very acidic and I’m not one to get heartburn, but I had it for a few hours after only stomaching 4oz. of this gut-wrenching stuff.

Nutrition?OK, so the company markets it as a "superfood" (or "souperfood" as they may call it), so, what are the nutrients, you ask? Well, there is a ton of sugar (shocker) in this 8oz. little can (22g) and only 1g of protein. Aside from that, you get a pretty good serving of vitamin A and C, but that is not enough to make up for the fact that I would rather pass on this little vial of – what smells like – putrid vegetable, fruit juice and, yeee-arrrrrrr, uh – yuck!

Conclusion (obvious perhaps!)Man, this stuff reeks and to be honest,... I could throw up just thinking about this stuff. Was this a bad joke being played out on me? I’m beginning to think that Mike put me up to this gluten-free review just to see what I could handle (he did warn me that not all gluten-free foods and diet-products were good; then again, not all "normal" foods are good either). And, in this particular Cool Soup review situation, I was forewarned and it was understood, prior to this review, that Mike's wife had tried another flavor (a tomato-based one I believe) of this ‘Cold Soup’ and she thought it was terrible.

In the end, I’m not sure who the heck was taste-testing this product before it went to market, but there may be a good chance that they didn’t have any taste buds. All in all, Cool Soup sucks. I mean, I reverently use that word for things I really don’t like and this product – well, it just sucked.

To sum things up, I have had plenty of authentic, fresh cold soup in my time, and I recall my mother making a variety of cold soups growing up. Cold soup done RIGHT can be quite satisfying... it is not the temperature that is to blame here. This Cool Soup product is not recommended, and be warned because if you decide to try ‘Cool Mango Spice Cool Soup’ you’re NOT in for a real treat. I do not care if it is wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, and what have you... this snack is pretty nasty.

Until encountering this Cool Soup product, all my gluten-free product reviews have been rather enjoyable. But, in this case, I found myself self-censoring my review as I typed it so that my full level of disgust with this soup product was presented in such a way that it was "safe for public consumption" (now if only the soup-maker had taken equal steps to ensure enjoyable consumption, this review may have been different)!

Stay tuned for some more gluten-free food and drink reviews (some much tastier products too!) I have another Schar brand cookie review coming... Bard's Tale gluten-free beer review... some tortilla chips... trail mix... and a few others on deck for the coming days and weeks.

Great sense of humor, great reviews, I might even try some of this stuff. If you could...how about reviewing some breads or wraps. Glad you were surfing the web safely while drinking the GF brews. How about a review of some quick breakfast cereals that are GF. Your friends along the GF path. :)

LOL! I appreciate your VERY honest review of this product! I stumbled across your blog, and was very pleased to see that you review GF products. It helps to have someone else be the "guinea pig" and try it out first. I too, would like a review of breads and cereals. Thanks = ]

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Gluten-Free Blog by Mike Eberhart

Like all gluten-free / Celiac persons, I want to live life to the fullest and not feel encumbered by the dietary constraints of a lifelong disease. I hope this GlutenFree Blog helps you quickly make the transition to an enjoyable and fulfilling life as you adapt to Celiac Disease and find safe and delicious alternatives for your new gluten-free diet.

Note: This site is not intended for use as a source of health, medical, legal, or professional advice, and I assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any thing else resulting from you reading this blog.